Areas of Practice

What We Do

SLG was founded as a multi-disciplinary boutique. Today, it is a growing practice providing comprehensive legal advice in several related areas of law. These include: corporate and commercial, real estate, trusts and estates, litigation, family and immigration laws practices. SLG’s philosophy has always been that a document of legal prevention is worth a banker’s box of legal cure.

We provide peace of mind to financial institutions, industry leaders, real estate builders and developers, Canadian and foreign trusts and private clients with family office needs.

Family businesses and continuity.

“SLG was built on excellence in the law, and grew because of our response time and quality of service. A multi-lingual office that can act quickly and decisively in foreign matters is just one such example.” – Ellena Steiner, Founding Partner, SLG LLP

Asset-based lending involves underwriting and securing debt financing on a borrower’s assets, as opposed to credit-worthiness.

Underwriting an asset-based loan involves understanding how expeditiously a lender can seize and liquidate said assets at fair market value. So long the security underlying an asset-based financing transaction is sound, lenders are often comfortable looking beyond cash flows and debt-service coverage ratios. Among other things, first priority security and comprehensive due-diligence are imperative in these kinds of transactions.

There is no one asset-based lending transaction. Technically, these transactions range in complexity from a domestic lending institution underwriting a borrower’s fixed assets to international syndicates underwriting operating assets. Steiner Law Group has been retained by both borrowers and lenders in structuring and negotiating transactions, undertaking due diligence, taking and perfecting security interests in personal and real property, and drafting documents as well as legal opinions for asset-based lending transactions.

The scope of Corporate Commercial Law is difficult to define since it (a) means different things to different people and (b) necessarily incorporates practice areas which, are distinct areas of specialization, i.e., corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, etc.

Recording properly the terms of any business relationship is no less important than choosing a right partner, product or service. Such transactions inevitably lead to legal advice with respect to issues such as non-disclosure, employment, privacy, tax, real estate, intellectual property or strategic planning.

Although these practice areas are clearly related (and often integral) to corporate/commercial practices, they have developed distinct identities and are dealt with, therefore, in separate sections.

Our lawyers are dedicated to provide our clients with a maximum value while minimizing their business risks.

Most businesses at some point will require private equity, venture capital investments, mezzanine and other leveraged debt financing, and liquidity-exit transactions, such as a sale to a strategic buyer. We have vast experience in working with foreign and domestic banks, financial institutions, and private financial organizations, in providing legal support for secured lending and project financings.

Our lawyers are dedicated to provide our clients with a maximum value while minimizing their business risks.

Corporate Tax law includes advising on the taxation of public and private corporate, joint venture and other related and non-related business structures; tax planning respecting mergers and acquisitions, company restructurings, reorganizations, debt rescheduling and liquidations; taxation of commercial contract transactions, transfer pricing, leasing and other commercial agreements; taxation of natural resource extraction, refining and sales including various associated business structures; property related taxation particularly in relation to property development; taxation of financing transactions; taxation of various debt instruments, capital market instruments, funds and securitized assets; tax treaties, international corporate tax and tax aspects of international commercial transactions; taxation of foreign investment in Canada and the taxation of Canadian off-shore investment.

Apart from the areas listed above, our Tax law practice area and its advisors represent individuals and corporations from across Canada and abroad in all areas of Canadian, European and U.S. tax law, including: corporate and business income taxation, international taxation, transfer pricing, individual tax and wealth planning, commodity taxes (GST/HST), and SALT (U.S. state and local taxes).

Estate & Personal Tax Planning for high net worth individuals is generally understood to comprise the provision of wealth preservation advice and, as such, includes income and capital gains tax minimization and estate planning generally; the use of various tax shelters and deferrals; international tax planning for Canadian and non-Canadian residents and domiciliaries; formation of charitable trusts and companies; on- and offshore trust and asset protection structures; estate and tax planning utilizing inter vivos and other asset protection structures; estate freezes; long term strategic tax planning including inter-generational transfers of private individual, family business, and other closely-held corporations; tax planning respecting ownership of shares in private and public companies including on- and off-shore executive compensation structures; and tax planning for Canadians investing internationally and foreign investors establishing businesses in Canada.

Whether it is our client’s personal wealth or ownership and transmission of a family business, we assist with tax driven and practical strategies on how to best Preserve the Assets and how to ensure a unique solution to each of our client’s particular needs, related to transition of assets from one generation to the next.

Our services include drafting wills, powers of attorney for property and living wills, trust set up and management, family business succession planning, advising on residency and cross-border property issues, and advising on minimizing various income and estate administration taxes.

Our lawyers are dedicated to provide our clients with a maximum value while minimizing their business risks.

The practice of Family Law is generally understood to comprise the provision of advice and representation, whether by way of negotiation, judicial proceedings, alternative dispute resolution, mediation or arbitration, in all matters relating to spousal and parental rights arising from paternity, cohabitation, marriage, separation and divorce including: the preparation and negotiation of all manner of domestic and marriage contracts; acting with respect to the custody and access rights of parents and matters involving the welfare of children; acting with respect to spousal and child support and maintenance; advising with respect to the division of property interests consisting of rights in family property, business and professional activities, pensions and estates; and advising as to the tax implications of marriage and divorce.

Our lawyers are dedicated to provide our clients with a maximum value while minimizing their business risks.

Immigration Law practices divide into personal and business immigration. The first includes individual, family, student and human rights or refugee applications, hearings and appeals. The second includes services to companies transferring personnel, temporary visas and work permits, and special inward investment/immigration programs.

Our multi-national and multi-lingual team of professionals serves our clients’ needs, starting from assisting with choosing a person appropriate educational programme and institution; representing clients and guiding them through the immigration into Canada process; assisting our clients with initial settlement services; acting for multi-national corporations in re-locating employees from and into Canada.

Our services include: assisting with temporary resident and student visas; obtaining work permits for temporary workers; obtaining LMO and AEO from Service Canada; applying for permanent residency; applying for citizenship in Canada; applying for a Certificat d’acceptation (certificate of acceptance) and Québec Selection Certificate for applicants who wish to immigrate to the province of Québec; assisting with issues of inadmissibility to enter Canada; and similar matters within the scope of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

When required, we work directly with our colleagues who are the leading authorities on the Human Rights and related issues in Canada and internationally.

Our lawyers and consultants are dedicated to provide our clients with a maximum value while minimizing their business risks.

Ontario’s Small Claims Court is a branch of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice that deals with civil disputes of a total monetary value not more than CAD $25,000 (excluding interest and court fees) per dispute.

A major advantage of Small Claims Court is that it relies on simplified rules and procedures, which can allow for more cost-effective recoveries of money or personal property below the current threshold of $25,000. While larger claims may technically go to Small Claims Court, doing so would result in foregoing an award above the threshold as well as the right to pursue such a claim in another court.

Steiner Law Group has represented clients in Small Claims Court for matters including but not limited to breaches of contract, unpaid accounts, loans, and rents, and other damages not exceeding $25,000. Where non-Small Claims Court litigation expertise is required, we will typically refer clients to specialized firms or litigators.

Mergers & Acquisitions (“M&A”) practice is one involving transactions that effect or threaten to effect a change of control or ownership of corporations. Typically this would involve representation of offerors, offerees and other interested parties in connection with take-over bids, amalgamations, arrangements and the like, as well as “defensive” advice to corporations that perceived themselves to be vulnerable to unwanted or unsolicited offers.

Steiner Law Group’s primary role is to lead a team of specialists and to coordinate their input on the corporate, securities, finance, tax, competition, labour, employee benefits, real property, regulatory, environmental, intellectual property, litigation and other areas of law that are likely to be implicated by a proposed transaction, while providing senior management/investors with strategic input in conjunction with other M&A specialist advisors such as investment bankers, accountants, communications experts and government relations consultants.

The deal management role often encompasses working with and incorporating the input from legal and other specialists in other provinces and countries. Our team is well equipped to provide strategic advice, to apply seasoned business judgment and to creatively deal with the fast-changing moves and counter-moves of competitive bidding situations.

Our lawyers are dedicated to provide our clients with a maximum value while minimizing their business risks.

Real estate law requires considerable experience and expertise, often in wide ranging areas of practice such as corporate, contract law, estates, municipal law, taxation, and property management, to name a few. Our Real Estate department deals on regular basis with the matters related to residential, as well as commercial properties.

We help our clients set up their goals, as well as identify and (if and where necessary) mitigate potential risks related to both residential and commercial real estate matters. We represent investors, owners, developers, condominium developers, contractors, landlords and tenants with respect to the multiple real estate issues.

Our Real Estate department responds to the clients in a timely and cost-efficient manner, addressing the full range of residential and commercial real estate issues, including: acquisitions, sales, construction and permanent financings, leasing, condominium development and unit sales. OurReal Estate department closely works with accounting and tax considerations in mind, which considerations are frequently central to commercial real estate transactions.

Real estate law requires considerable experience and expertise, often in wide ranging areas of practice such as corporate, contract law, estates, municipal law, taxation, and property management, to name a few. Our Real Estate department deals on regular basis with the matters related to residential, as well as commercial properties.

We help our clients set up their goals, as well as identify and (if and where necessary) mitigate potential risks related to both residential and commercial real estate matters. We represent investors, owners, developers, condominium developers, contractors, landlords and tenants with respect to the multiple real estate issues.

Our Real Estate department responds to the clients in a timely and cost-efficient manner, addressing the full range of residential and commercial real estate issues, including: acquisitions, sales, construction and permanent financings, leasing, condominium development and unit sales. OurReal Estate department closely works with accounting and tax considerations in mind, which considerations are frequently central to commercial real estate transactions.

Real estate law requires considerable experience and expertise, often in wide ranging areas of practice such as corporate, contract law, estates, municipal law, taxation, and property management, to name a few. Our Real Estate department deals on regular basis with the matters related to residential, as well as commercial properties.

We help our clients set up their goals, as well as identify and (if and where necessary) mitigate potential risks related to both residential and commercial real estate matters. We represent investors, owners, developers, condominium developers, contractors, landlords and tenants with respect to the multiple real estate issues.

Our Real Estate department responds to the clients in a timely and cost-efficient manner, addressing the full range of residential and commercial real estate issues, including: acquisitions, sales, construction and permanent financings, leasing, condominium development and unit sales. Our Real Estate department closely works with accounting and tax considerations in mind, which considerations are frequently central to commercial real estate transactions.

Our lawyers are dedicated to provide our clients with a maximum value while minimizing their business risks.

Private Equity includes equity and quasi-equity investment activity in non-public markets. This area of law has buy-out, mezzanine and venture capital segments. Buy-out refers to mid-market, private company investments in more traditional industries that are undergoing a fundamental change in ownership, expansion or acquisition. Mezzanine investments are made primarily through subordinated debt or preferred shares. Venture capital investments typically involve new or young companies in innovative industries (technology, life sciences, media/communications). Venture capital investments may also involve late-stage investments in companies with established technology or concepts that require capital to expand production, marketing and sales.

Apart from assisting with the financing by private equity funds or investors in portfolio companies, our firm has significant tax, corporate finance and general corporate expertise. Major practice area’s include assisting with the formation of investment funds, typically limited partnerships, which raise capital to invest in portfolio companies.

Our lawyers are dedicated to provide our clients with a maximum value while minimizing their business risks.

Project Finance may be defined as non-recourse or limited recourse financing in which debt, equity and credit enhancement are combined for the construction and operation or refinancing of a particular facility in a capital intensive industry, in which lenders base credit risk and recourse on the asset value and projected revenues from the facility combined, in some cases, with limited sponsor support, rather than the general assets or credit worthiness of the sponsor.

Our lawyers are dedicated to provide our clients with a maximum value while minimizing their business risks.

Technology lawyers focus on the development and finance of technology-based businesses.

Technology law involves working with investors, start-up or later stage enterprises, venture capital investors, technology lenders and technology-oriented investment dealers in such matters as private and public financings; stockholder and employment matters; strategic alliances, partnerships and joint ventures; stock exchange listings; and mergers and acquisitions. This often necessitates working closely over a long period with a technology business at all stages, from initial business and financial start-up plans to an IPO and beyond to such high-end matters as mergers and acquisitions or corporate governance.

Our lawyers are dedicated to provide our clients with a maximum value while minimizing their business risks.